HE KNEW HE WAS LOST…

Janie and I often go for evening walks in our neighborhood. They are usually totally uneventful. Just two old people getting in their steps. Then it happened. “Look Janie, that is not right”. A two year old toddler with no adult in sight. It happened to be a beautiful African American baby boy. I suggested following him at a close distance to not scare him and to see if he knew where his home was. The next two left turns assured me he was lost and he knew he was lost. A bouncy ball in one hand a truck in the other and a pacifier in his mouth. He would look at us, grin and run. Thankyou Jesus he was two and not four. I can still outrun a 2 year old. We talked, laughed, played ball, all to get him to trust us. Not so much. Two old white people trying to take my bouncy ball. He wasn’t having it. So, we made the call to 911 and reported who we were, where we were and that we had a very lost 2-year-old infant. We were able to guide him to the field at Epworth Methodist Church. More running. It took a while for the cops to show up. Runaway infant being chased by old white people is not a high on the emergency list…except to the old people doing the chasing! The officer that arrived was like an angel from heaven, a beautiful black female officer angel. That little infant opened his little arms and went straight to the officer. The officer said “You two have just made one grandmother very happy.” Apparently, he had gotten away from grandma, made one wrong turn and was lost. With every wrong turn the little guy got more and more lost.

Kind of a picture of life isn’t it. We could be safe at home with our Heavenly Father. Then we take a wrong turn or two and find ourselves lost. Each wrong turn, each wrong decision takes us away from His shelter, His provision. Not away from His love but away from a relationship He wants us to have with Him. We have our version of a bouncy ball, our toy car and our pacifier. What more do we need? His presence. His watch care. His Shepherding. If you made a wrong turn stop, ask Him, He will lead you home and be so glad to see you back. If you won’t stop, don’t be surprised if He sends two old white people to help you or better yet, one beautiful angel officer!

"Dear Father, help us to enjoy what you give us but to never think those things are what we need to be happy. Please place in our lives people who will help us find our way back home. Forgive us our wrong turns. When we have lost our ways, grant us the ability to know we are lost and to quit running. Protect us from dangers we may never see coming. Amen"

Pastor Tom